Dispenser mounting



April 25, 1961 J. w. ANDERSON DISPENSER MOUNTING Original Filed Jan. 7, 1957 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Claims. (Cl. 222-166) This invention relates to a support for a dispensing means and more particularly to .a manually operated soap-dispensing means for releasably receiving a disposable container.

This application is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 632,695., filedon January 7, 1957, and now abandoned.

In the past, various types of tilting soap dispensers have been proposed, most of which make use of relatively elaborate container means which must be refilled from time to time Other such devices have been provided which include relatively complicated measuring means to effect 'delivery of a suflicient ,amount of washing compound which may or may not be adequate for the job "at hand.

Thepresent invention provides an improvement in this 'd'ieldmaking' use of a simple, relatively inexpensive device for receiving a disposable carton. In combination with the disposable carton, the tilting support arrangement makes it possible to use an unobstructed nozzle on the carton for'tlelivery of as much of the granulated soap product asrhay be needed. IThe user merely 'upends'the -c'ontainer by pivoting it in the supportand"w,hen the desired quantity of soap has been disposed, thepcarton mayth'en be returned to itsupright position ,to shut off 'the -'flowof soap product through the nozzle. Suitable United States Patent (3 motion-control means arekbujilt into the 'ca rton'supp ort 'toprevent s pilling of thesoap remaining in the spout as thecontaineris returned to the uprightposition.

The invention also includes .an improved carton-engaging means for .rnounting the container in the support {which includes a quick-'releaseaction to permit rapid as- 'sembly of a full container in the deviceas soon as on'e carton is emptied. The quick-release device serves to f-tension a friction band around the disposable carton jto firmly engage the canon in the dispensing device for operative as soci-ation therewith.

The preferred form of the invention is shown and described hereim'and:

Figure '1 is a "front .elevation part-1y broken away showingthis invention; I

Figure 2. is "a "front elevation showing the dispenser turnedto soap-dispensing position;

.Figure 3 is .a'topplan view of thedevice shown in Figureil Figure .4 is a rear elevationot the device shown'in Figure'l; p

.Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation partly broken away showing the overcenter spring structure seen in Figure 4; V

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view showing the quickacting band-tightening .means for engaging a carton in adapted to be releasably mounted within a supporting band 11, the band in turn being pivotally carried by a fixed housing 12 which is adapted to be mounted on any suitable fixed support. As shown in Figure 2, the container 10 is carried in the supporting band in such a manner that it may be moved from the upright position, shown in Figure l and in dotted lines in Figure 2, to the upended or inverted position shown in full lines in Figure 2 whereby the granulated soap product in the container will fiow by gravity through the open spout 13 into the hand of a userdisposed below the spout. When the desired quantity of soap has been dispensed, the container is rotated in the direction of the arrow indicated at 14 in Figure 2 to return the container to the dotted-line position shown in Figure '2 to terminate the flow of product from the container.

It has been found in operating a dispensing device as ihereshown that the return movement must be controlled to a limited extent in order to prevent undue spreading of any soap product remaining in the nozzle as the conbacking plate 21 pivotally supported on the front face of the housing 12by means of the pivot 22. The backing plate has integral arms 23 and 24 which are riveted to the band 11 as is best seen in Figure 3. The band is also riveted to the-backing plate 21 to provide a three-point contact such that the band and backing plate provide a substantially unitary rigid structure with the band projecting'from the front of the rotatable support, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The band 11 is of sufficient rigidityto support the carton 10, as shown in Figures '2 and 5. A suitable overhanging stop element 25 is provided for engagement with the'top of the container whereby the con- .t'ainer is always appropriately positionedin band ll'relative tothe supporting elements of the dispensing device. The backing plate'2'1 is also provided with an integral pin 26 which extends rearwardly into the housing 12 and which moves through the arcuate slot '27 provided in the "faceof housing 12 .as'the backing plate '21 rotates about .thepivot 22.

Mounted within the housing 12 is an :overcenter'spring .means' which is adapted to coact with the free end of 'pin 26, and is best shown in Figure 4. This spring means includes an-oscillating pin-receiving element 30 which is carried .on a pivot 31 such that element 30 moves from the full-line position shown in Figure 4 to the dotted .linezthere shown. It is apparent that pin 26 engages in theJ-shaped slot provided in the free end of element 30 whenever the pin 26 moves through the upper part of vslot.27,.and.to accomplish this coaction, the shorter leg ,of the J is disposed to face the slot .27 whereas the longer leg of the J is on the opposite side of pivot 31 from slot 27. Asuitable spring 32 is adapted to be connected between the housing 12 and the end of the longer leg of the 'J, the spring 32 being stretched between the housing and thisleg such that the spring is stretched and, passes over pivot 31 as the pin-receiving element 30 moves from the full-line position to the.do tted-line position shown in Figure 4.

In the operation of this mechanism, as the carton 1.0 is turned .from the .full-line dispensing position :to the dotted line nondispens'ing position shown in Figure 2, the

"assnaaa mate weight of the container and its contents to provide just sufiicient braking effect to slow down the motion to prevent the centrifugal slinging out of any granulated product remaining in the spout 13 while the spring is being stretched to pass over the pivot '31. This braking efiect allows the material in the spout to drop back into the con-. tainer and thereafter, when the spring passes over the center of pivot 31, the spring 32 contracts to pull the shorter arm of the J against pin 26 to quickly snap the pin 26 against the upper end of slot 27 to centralize the carton in a generally vertical nondispensing position.

Thus, in using this dispensing mechanism, the container maybe manually inverted to permit the granulated soap product to flow out of the spout, which, of course, is designed to provide a relatively controlled flow such that in a reasonable time the desired amount of soap product will issue from the container. Thereafter, the container may be returned to the vertical position and even though the user may release the carton such that it would be returned by gravitational pull to its nondispensing position or otherwise tend to flip the container as it returns to its initial action has been completed and the spout allowed to empty itself so that the product remaining therein falls back into the carton, the backing plate 21 and the carton supported thereon are positively driven to a centralized position for appearance sake and usually this is the vertical or upright position.

Another aspect of this invention is concerned with the provision of means to make use of disposable paper cartons for the granulated soap product making it unnecessary to refill a permanent type of soap-dispensing container. This not only speeds up the replenishing procedure, but also eliminates the possibility of wasting the product by spillage and the consequent labor involved in the cleanup operation. With the quick-release mounting means here provided, the refilling of a soap dispenser is greatly speeded up and the spouted container is firmly engaged in the dispenser until emptied of its contents upon repeated usage.

To accomplish the quick release and engagement of a new container in band 11, the band is provided with a catch which is constructed to positively expand and contract the band so that an empty container can be quickly dropped out of the dispenser and a filled container inserted. Referring to Figure 6, the band 11 is provided with overlapping ends 40 and 41 which are connected by a suitable lever 42. The lever 42 is connected to one end 40 of the band by a pivot pin 43 and to the other end 41 of the band by a second pivot pin 44, the second pin being spaced longitudinally along the lever from the first pivot 43. Thus, as the lever 42 is raised to a vertical position as shown in Figure 7, the pivots 43 and 44 are caused to move around each other relatively so that as the lever moves upwardly the band is expanded. When the lever is moved downwardly the band 11 is contracted, the parts being proportioned such that the band is then caused to engage firmly around the container 10.

The lever 42 is provided with a suitable end having pads 45 formed thereon for convenience in the manual operation thereof. A fixed abutment 46 may be provided integral with the arm 23 of the backing plate 21 which cooperates with the end of the end of the lever 42 ,to

43 and 44 are in alignment the hook 47 on the end of lever 42 is engaged over the top edge of abutment 46 as best shown in Figure 8. If desired, aligned apertures may be provided in the end of lever 42 and stop 46 so that a suitable padlock or other locking device might be inserted therein when the dispenser device is placed in a public rest room or the like.

While the above describes the preferred arrangement of this invention, it is obvious that many modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art which may fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A granulated or powdered product dispenser for soap or the like comprising a housing adapted to be carried by a fixed support, means for supporting a disposable spouted carton containing said product, said supporting means being pivotally mounted on said housing, an arcuate slot in saidhousing, a pin carried by said supporting means and extending through said slot, an element having a pinreceiving portion, said element being pivotally carried in said housing and positioned adjacent one end of said slot, and spring means connected at one end to a means carried by said fixed support and at its other end to said element at a point remote'from the pivot point thereof, said one end and said other end of said spring being disposed relative to said element such that the spring becomes stressed to a maximum degree when a line drawn between both the end connections of the spring passes over the center of the pivot point for said element, said pin-receiving 0 portion of said element being J-shaped, said pin and said slot and said element being so disposed relative to each other that said pin engages the longer leg of said J-shaped portion of said element as it approaches one end of the slot to turn said element on its pivot whereby the motion of the pin and the supporting means is braked while the spring is being stressed and thereafter when said line through the end points of the spring passes over the center of the pivot point the spring drives the shorter arm of the J-shaped portion of the element against the pin to drive the pin toward the end of the slot as the stress in the spring is released.

2. A granulated or powdered product dispenser for soap or the like comprising a housing adapted to be carried by a fixed support, means for supporting a disposable spouted carton containing said product, said supporting means being pivotally mounted on said housing, an arcuate slot in said housing, a pin carried by said supporting means and extending through said slot, an element having a pin-receiving portion, said element being pivotally carried in said housing and positioned adjacent one end of said slot, the pivot for said element being located substantially on the chord which subtends said arcuate slot, and a coil-tension spring means connected at one end to said housing and at its other end to said element at apoint remote from the pivot point thereof, said one end and said other end of said spring being disposed relative to said element such that the spring is stretched to substantially its maximum degree when a line drawn between both the end connections of the spring passes over the center'of the pivot point for said element, said pin-receiving portion of said element being I-shaped, said pin and said slot and said element being so disposed relative to each other that said pin engages the longer leg of said J-shaped portion of said element asit approaches one end of the slot to turn said element on its pivot whereby the motion of the pin and supporting means is braked while the spring is being stretched and thereafter when said line through the end points of the spring passes over the center of the pivot point the spring drives the shorter arm of the I-shaped portion of the element against the pin to drive the pin toward the end soap or the like comprising a housing adapted to be carlimit its downward motion such that when the pivot pins 76 riedby a fixed support, means for supporting a disposable spouted carton containing said product, said means being pivotally mounted on said housing such'that said carton may be oscillated approximately 180 from the vertical up position to an upside-down positionand back for intermittently dispensing the product through the spout, an arcuate slot in said housing, saidrslot extending throughout at least 130, a pin carried by said supporting means and extending through saidslot, an element having a pin-receiving portion, said elemented being pivotally carried in said housing and positioned adjacent one end of said slot, the pivot for said element being located substantially on the chord which subtends said arcuate slot, and a coil-tension spring means connected at one end to said housing and at its other end to said element at a point remote from the pivot point thereof, said one end and said other end of said spring being disposed relative to said element such that the springis stretched to substantially its maximum degree when a line drawn between both the end connections of the spring passes over the center of the pivot point for said element, said pinreceiving portion of said element being J-shaped, said pin and said slot and said element being so disposed relative to each other that said pin engages the longer leg of said J-shaped portion of said element as it approaches the end of the slot when the carton approaches the up position to turn said element on its pivot whereby the motion of the pin and support means is braked while the spring is being stretched and thereafter when said line through the end points of the spring passes over the center of the pivot point the spring drives the shorter arm of the J-shaped portion of the element against the pin to drive the pin toward the end of the slot as the spring contracts to positively drive said pin to the end of the slot in order to position said supporting means so that the carton is aligned substantially in the vertical up position.

4. A granulated or powdered product dispenser for soap or the like comprising a housing adapted to be carried by a fixed support, means for releasably supporting a disposable spouted carton containing said product, said supporting means being pivotally mounted on said housing such that said carton may be oscillated approximately 180 from the vertical up position to an upsidedown positionand back for intermittently dispensing the product through the spout, said releasable support including an expansible band for frictionally engaging the periphery of the carton, a side wall portion of said band being secured to said supporting means with the band projecting horizontally therefrom, said band having sufficient rigidity to sustain said carton, said band also having overlapping end portions, a vertically swinging lever positioned between said overlapping end portions, one end of said lever being pivotally connected to one of said overlapped end portions of the band, a second pivotal connection on said lever, said second connection being with the other of said overlapped end portions of the band, said second pivotal connection being spaced from the other pivotal connection on said lever, and stop means to arrest the vertical swing of said lever when the lever is turned approximately horizontally, both of said pivot means being aligned in a horizontal position when said lever engages said stop. 7

5. A granulated or powdered product dispenser for soap or the like comprising a housing adapted to be carried by a fixed support, means for releasably supporting a disposable spouted carton containing said product, said supporting means being pivotally mounted on said housing such that said carton may be oscillated approximately 180 from the vertical up position to an upsidedown position and back for intermittently dispensing the product through the spout, said releasable support including an expansible circular band for frictionally engaging the periphery of the carton, a side wall portion of said band being secured to said supporting means with the band projecting horizontally therefrom, said band having-sufficient rigidity to sustain said carton, 'Lsa'idband having ioverlapping end portions, a vertically swinging lever positioned between said overlapping end portions, said lever being curved to the same radius as the band and having an outwardly turned finger grip at one end thereof, the other end of said lever being pivotally connected to the inner of said overlapped end portions of the band, -a second pivotal connection on said lever, said second connection being with the other of said overlapped end portions of the band, said second pivotal connection being spaced from the other pivotal connection on said lever, and stop means integral with the outside of said support means to arrest the vertical swing of saidlever when the lever is turned approximate- 1y -horizontally,said finger grip including a lug for ,cooperating with-said stop means, 'both of said pivot means being aligned-in a -horizorital position when saidlug on the leverengages said stop;

6. A granulated or powdered product dispenser or the like, comprising a housing adapted to be carried by a fixed vertical support, means for releasably supporting a disposable spouted carton containing said product, said supporting means being pivotally mounted on said housing by a horizontally disposed pintle such that said carton may be oscillated approximately from the vertical up position to an upside-down position and back for dispensing the product through the spout, said releasable support including a split band for frictionally encircling said carton, an intermediate side wall portion of said band being secured to said supporting means with the split end portions of the band projecting horizontally therefrom, said band having a cylindrical inner wall and being of sufiicient rigidity to sustain said carton, and releasable means cooperating with the ends of the band for clamping said carton therein.

7. A mounting means for a container having an opening comprising a bracket member adapted to be attached to a support, a container holding means releasably gripping said-container, means for rotatably mounting said container holding means on said bracket member, and spring-action detent means operatively connected with said container-holding means for first braking the turning of said container and then positioning said container with the opening extending vertically upward.

8. A mounting means ,for holding a carton having an opening, comprising a housing member adapted to be affixed to a support, a pivot carried by said housing and projecting outwardly therefrom, a carton-embracing means rotatably mounted on said pivot for mounting a carton axially of said pivot and permitting said carton to be turned from a position in which the opening points approximately vertically upwardly to a position where the opening points approximately vertically downwardly, and an overcenter spring means cooperating between the carton-embracing means and said fixed housing, said overcenter spring means being activated by said carton-embracing means as the opening in the carton is turned toward the vertically up position whereby to first slow down the motion of said carton as it rotates with the carton-embracing means about the pivot and after the spring means passes over center to snap the carton-embracing means and carton into the vertically up position.

9. A mounting means for holding a carton having an opening, comprising a housing member adapted to be aflixed to a support, a pivot carried by said housing and projecting outwardly therefrom, a carton-embracing means rotatably mounted on said pivot for mounting a carton axially of said pivot and permitting said carton to be turned from a position in which the opening points approximately vertically upwardly to a position where the opening points approximately vertically downwardly, an overcenter spring means cooperating between the carton-embracing means and said fixed housing, and a pin carried by said carton-embracing means, said overcenter spring means being activated by said pin integral .with carton-embracing means as the opening'in the cartonjis turned toward the vertically up position whereby to first slow down the motion of saidcarton-as-it'rotates .with the carton-embracing means about the pivot and after the spring means passes over center to snap the carton-embracing means and carton into the vertically up position.

" 10. A mounting means for holding a carton having an opening, comprising a housingv memberradapted to be atfixed to a support, a pivot carried by said housing and a carton-embracing anovercenter spring means cooperating between the carton-embracing means and said fixed housing, said spring means being disposed in said housing, and a pin carried by said carton-embracing means and extending into said housing, said overcenter spring means being activated by said pin integral with carton-embracing means as the opening in the carton is turned toward the vertically up position whereby to first slow down the motion of said carton as it rotates with the carton-embracing means about the pivot and after the spring means passes over center to snap the carton-embracing means and carton into the vertically up position.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Duchatelet Jan. 15, 1924 1,481,085 2,621,488 Layton Dec. 16, 1952 Manley Sept. 11, 1956 

